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~August No-Spend Challenge~ We are tracking our spending and trying to save money! Come join us -- newcomers welcome

9K views 343 replies 43 participants last post by  HydeParkB 
#1 ·
I thought we could start this so people could sub and get keys and dates down...
And I'm motivated

This is a support thread to help you ~not spend your money~.

Everyone is welcome to join and you can start tracking your spending at any time. It doesn't have to be August 1st.

The plan is simple (although tough to execute):

1. Vow not to spend any money on unnecessary purchases.

2. Come on here everyday and record your spending.

We all record our spending in different ways. There are no rules. You record and update however you would like -- pick a way that will help you spend the least amount of money.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please write an introductory message when you decide to join our thread. We would like to know:

a. Who you are

b. Where you are going (your financial goals) and

c. How you plan to get there

Good luck MDCers!! Keep that money in your wallet.
 
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#52 ·
I'm off to a horrible start

1 $5 fast food lunch $7 soda and chocolate $8 grocery store
2 $5 soda and snack at work
3
4
5
6
7

0/$300 Saved
25/$500 Spent
 
#53 ·
Back In!! My computer died about a week after I joined mid-month last month, so last month was a complete failure. I spent way too much, and I am on a super low budget right now, so here goes again!

I am Kim, single mama to my 2 year old son. I work sporadically at two extremely part time jobs, and I am on public assistance as well.

My financial goals are to build my savings back up to $1000, pay off my bills that I have fallen behind on, and to become MUCH more mindful of frivolous spending.

I plan to check in here every day, hold myself accountable, and only spend what is necessary. I am not going to set any number of no-spend days, because I am really just looking to track for right now. Hopefully they will be plentiful though!
I am also not planning to track groceries, as I use food stamps and WIC, and I belong to an organic CSA, and can definitely make it through on those alone without going over.

My key:
No-spend day:

Planned spending (bills, gas for car, etc):

Unplanned spending:


So far: 1
1


1.
$16 drive in movie and snacks.
2.

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
 
#54 ·
a. Who you are
Aloha! I'm Akie, SAHM to 3 boisterous young boys, but going through a divorce right now and the financial situation changes every time we go to court.

b. Where you are going (your financial goals)
Fast food allowance - 3 times this month
Hoping not to owe any money at the end of this divorce.
Spending on only necessary things, and staying out of debt.
Finishing my bachelor's degree in December 2009! (not financial, but a big goal for me!)

c. How you plan to get there
Rent very cheap house without laundry facilities
Meal plan
Unsubscribe from all "sale" email lists
Figure out how to teach my children without spending lots of money on materials/toys/games/etc.
 
#55 ·
I need support! I can't pass up a good sale! Yesterday at the Children's Place they were selling a bunch of stuff at 50% off already marked down, you know the spiel, so I bought my kids matching polos in 3 colors @ $3.50 each. Isn't that SWEET? I might have to return a few, but it was such a good deal I just couldn't pass it up!

Anyone else with my problem? How do you resist? And anyone else a chronic returner? I buy stuff and then return it (or some of it) all the time! HELP!!!
 
#57 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by akichan View Post
Anyone else with my problem? How do you resist? And anyone else a chronic returner? I buy stuff and then return it (or some of it) all the time! HELP!!!
I'm not a chronic returner, but I love a bargain or a great sale. Or, if go to a store or market and they don't have what I want, I am open to buying something else. At the farmers market this week my egg lady was absent, but I felt I should get something, so I got peaches and blackberries and cukes. Not anything I needed, like the eggs.

I just have to stay out of stores. And be okay with leaving empty handed if they don't have what I came for.
 
#58 ·
a. Who I am... Kirstin, mostly SAHM of 2 fun kiddos. I started participating in these threads back in Jan. They are so helpful, and very habit-forming also!


b. Financial goals... Short-term- no crazy unplanned self-spending this month! Keep under budget for once! Keep canning veggies every night even though it's totally wiping me out- it does save $$ after all.

Long-term- stay home with kids, build savings back up, pay off vehicle ahead of schedule, then work on paying off mortgage!

c. How you plan to get there-DR- "Live like no one else, so that later you can live like no one else."

8/1-
:
2-
:

August goals:

Budgeted:
Groceries /household $0 / $360
Gas $0 / $100
Homeschool $0 / $20
Kid clothing & items $0 / $30
Baby $0 / $20
Gifts $0 / $20
unbudgeted spending $0 / $20
No spend days 2 / 20 days

Other goals:
: Exercise 0 / 12
: Garden 1 / 10
Declutter/ Deep clean 0 / 5
: Cook from scratch 1 / 7

Total budgeted =$570
Total spent = $0
 
#59 ·
Kim -- I'm keeping my eyes open for you and if I hear of anything I think you would like, I'll let you know.
We'll see you and G again in the fall when church starts up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HydeParkB View Post
I'm not a chronic returner, but I love a bargain or a great sale. Or, if go to a store or market and they don't have what I want, I am open to buying something else.
Bridget -- Nothing wrong with that...unless you are spending money that you would rather spend on something else. I'm ~constantly~ battling with my love of shopping...and I do the same thing you just described. I'm trying so hard to keep myself focused on the big picture...my ultimate financial goals instead of little purchases here and there. It is hard.

Quote:
I just have to stay out of stores.
ME too.

I'm actually thinking about going hard-core this month and asking DH to go buy the things that we need. Send him on errands to the stores with a list in hand. He NEVER buys anything but what is on the list.

The problem is time...he has very little time and it is kind of my job to get the supplies for the house and the kids, you know?

But I'm thinking for a month we may need to try this. Just give myself a month where I don't go in any stores.
 
#60 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by akichan View Post
I need support! I can't pass up a good sale! Anyone else with my problem? How do you resist? And anyone else a chronic returner? I buy stuff and then return it (or some of it) all the time! HELP!!!
Some of us on this thread are ALSO habitual shoppers (raises hand) which is why we are doing the thread...to keep focused on getting over this habit. To get some little reward for not spending money.


I know for me at least, being able to return things just opens the floodgates to more buying.

If I allow myself to think -- I'll just buy this now, and if I don't like it when I get home I can always return it -- then I'm sunk. I'll buy the item.

I know that your pattern of chronic returning is just enabling your shopping habit...but I don't know how to help you break that pattern. I wish I did.

I hope someone else has some tips for us.
 
#61 ·
WARNING -- I'm going to be all over this thread and all over this forum this month. You are going to be wishing I wasn't around so much.


I'm trying to really re-think my buying habits this month.

My DH just got a nice raise (which is a blessing and a miracle in this economy and I'm very appreciative of that) and we are already well on our way to spendy spend spending that money...I've been pricing furniture, we bought a pool, we bought summer passes to things that we don't normally buy, I've enrolled the girls in extracurricular activities for the fall that we can't usually afford...STOP!!! What is going on?!?

I need to be saving that money, not spending it as fast as I can get my little hands on it.

I need to turn my head away from what my neighbors are buying and instead focus on what will bring me lasting security and peace.

That is hard for me to do -- so I'm re-reading the Tightwad Gazette (she's inspirational to me) and Dave Ramsey and Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping -- and trying to turn my attention again towards saving money instead of spending.
 
#62 ·
We only have one car and my husband works nights till 11:30am. So I don't have car to run to stores like I did before when I would drop him off at his old job and I feel guilty shopping when he is home. So you think that would stop my spending... welcome to my online shopping addiction. If ever there was anything created by the devil it is online shopping
. You save so much that you end up spending more...ugh. Well my addiction is cloth diapers right now. I buy what I need, what I like and somethings that will probably never see my babies bottom! Help

Budgeted Spending:

Frivolous Spending:
- the devil made me do it
No Spend:


8/1:: $20 at yard sale(DD winter coat and tights, 2 jeans and shorts for DH, 2 birthday gifts, dog crate, 2 glass dishes with lids for freezer) $13 Lunch, $22 friend came home from Iraq we all went out to eat. Days not usually like that... glad I found this post now I have to be responsible=)
8/2:: $14 cloth diapers; $4.75 filtered water
 
#63 ·
Hi everyone, I'm glad to be on this thread this month! We're in the middle of a huge landscaping project that we are paying with in cash as we go. Hopefully we're near the end of the big expenditures for that, but something always comes up. Also, we are paying for DS's Montessori tuition up-front for the year. That check was painful to write, but now it's time to build back up our EF, pay off my car, then start on the mortage.

VTMom, I'm re-reading the Tightwad Gazette, too!

No spend

Budgeted spending:

Blew it:


8/1
(groceries)
8/2

8/3
 
#66 ·
Aug 1
$9 on coffees before we realised that it was August, our no-spend month
Aug 2
:
Aug 3
Toilet blocked - we had to buy a plunger and cleaning supplies
Aug 4
Aug 5
Aug 6
Aug 7

1/31
No spend
0/31
Budgetted spend
2/31
Frivolous spending
1/31
: No car
0/31
: Expenses tracked in Quicken

Still haven't gotten Quicken up and running. Hopefully today if the kids nap at the same time. I had plenty of time to do it yesterday but wasted it surfing MDC
:
 
#67 ·
My key:
No-spend day:

Planned spending (bills, gas for car, etc):

Unplanned spending:


So far: 2
1


1.
$16 drive in movie and snacks.
2.

3.
$1.35 coffee, $8.46 Christmas gift
4.
5.
6.
7.
 
#69 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Crunchy*VT*Mom View Post
Hmmmm...could those $35 ribeye steaks from Costco sitting in the freezer right now be part of it? Bought TWICE this month. That's $70 right there.

Hmm....It is back to tuna fish for this family.

I need to go find that $2 meal thread and read through it again for inspiration.

Wow, I hear ya on this one! Why do we do these things....?
 
#71 ·
:: budgetted spend
:: no spend day!
::: overspent, or non budgetted spend
::: no driving day

8/1::

8/2::
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8/3::
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8/6::
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8/25::
8/26::
8/27::
8/28::
8/29::
8/30::
8/31::
 
#72 ·
I'd love to join. My name is Gretchen and I have a 2.5 year old and a baby due in late September. My husband and I are expecting to close on a house at the end of this month and so we're coming up on a couple of challenging months, both financially as well as emotionally. We have about $4k in credit card debt (though some of it was spent on an upgraded professional digital camera that dh will use for a few photography jobs coming up).

I'm pretty frugal but we spend a lot of money on food and occasionally on dates. DH really loves to go to the thrift store and buy "new" clothes--we're trying to break him of this habit because he really ends up spending a lot (more than $200 one month, on totally unnecessary thrift store purchases).

We need to save in preparation for the couple of months that I will not be working after the baby comes. Our bills will also be higher at the same time, because our new mortgage/household expenses will be higher than our living expenses are now. After that, we need to pay off this credit card debt because 2 of the three credit cards have a really high interest rate and it is just A WASTE of money.

Long term goal is of course to be debt free aside from our mortgage, and to have a budget that includes savings (for our kids, for us, for our family).

No money spent:
:
Necessary/planned spending:
: (groceries, rent, bills, etc.)
Unnecessary spending:
(such as eating out or a thrift store splurge)
Exercise:


1.
:
2.
:
(groceries, $40 doula bag stuff that I should have planned ahead for or found around the house)
3.
:
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
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22.
23.
24.
25.
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27.
28.
29.
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31.
 
#73 ·
Hi!

I joined a few threads last year that really really saved us and the next few months we're really going to need to hang on to our dollars so I'm comin' back.

I'm XM, mama to one ds, 15 months and TTC#2. DH just got a new job, and we're moving from NJ to Alaska! I'm oscillating between overjoyed and utterly terrified, with some guilt and sadness thrown in for good measure. It's hard to take DS away from a huge loving family and -6- great-grandparents. But, we kind of hate NJ, love Alaska, and really just want to give it a shot.. soo.. A cross country+ move is taxing on the budget so this month we're going to:
a.) not eat out.
b.) use up all the food in the pantry cindy's porch style
c.) hold off buying everything possible until we get to AK
, which is Sept 15ish for DH, Oct. 25ish for me & ds

1:

2:

2:


Oh yeah, and I'm not buying any pregnancy tests or OPK's, AT ALL! Every time I'm about to click that nice little "buy" button on Amazon, I'm going to come here and post and I'm hoping you will kindly talk me out of it.
 
#75 ·
1 - GARAGE SALE: $50 dresser, $3 cards, twine, toy; $39 Pet food
2 - $2 entertainment, $38 pet store
3 -
No spend (Sent out cds with prepaid paypal postage)
4 -
No spend (If I can avoid the gas station tonight)
 
#76 ·
Ugh. We are not having a good month so far. Bad things keep happening that require spending money.

Aug 1
$9 on coffees before we realised that it was August, our no-spend month
Aug 2
:
Aug 3
Toilet blocked - we had to buy a plunger and cleaning supplies
Aug 4
: DH sprained his ankle - he had to buy bandages and voltaren
Aug 5
Aug 6
Aug 7

1/31
No spend
0/31
Budgetted spending
3/31
Frivolous / unplanned spending
2/31
: No car
0/31
: Expenses tracked in Quicken
 
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